


Love and Loss

by IceQueenofMitera



Series: Dragon Age One Shots [5]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Explicit Language, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Human Noble Origin, Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 07:05:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6972157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceQueenofMitera/pseuds/IceQueenofMitera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alistair suffers his greatest loss, that of his beloved Akela.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love and Loss

Alistair was reeling from what Riordan had just told them. One of them was going to die tomorrow, one way or another. While Riordan had said the deed of slaying the Archdemon would fall on him, Alistair couldn’t shake the feeling that the battle would cost more than the senior Orlesian Warden. Akela would be the more likely of them to charge at it. He already felt as if he was losing her to herself. Since her vicious attack on Howe, she’d been spiraling downwards. Alistair knew her story, how Howe had butchered her family, including her young nephew. She didn’t know of her brother’s fate but she was sure that Howe had gotten to him as well. Screaming from down the hall brought him out of his thoughts.

“I don’t care!” Alistair opened his door.

“Will you not hear me out?” Morrigan’s voice drifted from Akela’s room.

“What more is there to hear? You suddenly tell me that you know what the Wardens must do and to top it off you want to have a child with Alistair!?” Alistair couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Yes, let us shout that with him down the hall,”

“You have my answer,”

“Reconsider, Akela! Think about what you will be able to do if you convince him of this. You have a chance at a future together! A chance to live and do what no other Grey Warden has ever accomplished,”

“No,”

“Think of Alistair!”

“Don’t you fucking dare to bring him into this, bitch! I am thinking about how I will fucking kill you if you go anywhere near him,”

“Don’t throw your life away like this,” Morrigan seemed to be begging. “I understand that you’ve lost your family—,”

“Get the fuck out,”

“I’m not going to watch you throw your life away like this,”

“I’m not forcing you to stay. Leave. Go back to the Wilds where I should have left you to begin with,” The door flew open and Morrigan stormed out before changing into a wolf and running down the hall. Alistair walked over to Akela’s room. His betrothed had both hands on the mantel of the fireplace looking down into the flames.

“Akela?” She turned her head to acknowledge that she’d heard him. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sure you heard all of that,” She turned towards him. Her dark brown hair loose and her grey eyes full of the emotional pain she constantly felt. Alistair walked towards her and pulled her into his arms.

“I would have been willing if it meant I wouldn’t lose you,”

“I didn’t use blood magic at Redcliffe. I wasn’t going to start now. And to have her come back with your bastard and claim the throne? I wasn’t going to risk that. I know they both have some sort of plan to hurt Ferelden,” Alistair didn’t respond. Neither one of them liked Morrigan very much to begin with. Akela had even lied to her about killing Flemeth. “Stay with me tonight,” She sounded vulnerable. So much had been thrust upon her and he wasn’t sure how Akela was still mostly sane. She’d lost her first love and her entire family to Howe. Alistair had basically forced her to be their leader. And with the way she killed Howe, he knew she’d unleashed her entire rage and grief on him.

“Of course,”

 

Akela was screaming and Alistair couldn’t save her this time. The essence of the Archdemon swirled through the air, wrapping itself around her. Alistair couldn’t go anywhere near. Not that Zevran would allow him. The elf assassin had a horrified look on his face.

“Akela!” Alistair screamed. He was watching her die. And his heart was shattering. Zevran was struggling to keep Alistair from rushing forward.

“You can’t help her, Alistair!” he cried, his voice sounding pained. He was her best friend, after all. It was hurting him as much as it was killing Alistair to watch helplessly. Alistair only hoped that Fergus, Akela’s brother, who they found in the city fighting Darkspawn, wasn’t watching this. Akela was the only family he had left. With a final cry, she shoved the blade deeper into the Archdemon’s head. Its essence, in the form of a blinding light, burst forth, knocking everyone back.

 

In the middle of the fray, Teagan led what was left of the Redcliffe knights and Denerim guard. The Darkspawn suddenly began to retreat and the Bann glanced up at the tower to see the light at the top of the tower. He was frozen. He knew that only the Grey Wardens could defeat the Archdemon. And he knew that no Warden that had ever killed one lived to tell about it. He was afraid of who it was. Alistair, the man he loved like a son or Akela, the woman he could only love from afar. In the times he would visit Highever and when she came to Redcliffe, they would flirt. And he’d fallen for her. But he saw the change in her when she returned to Redcliffe. And before they traveled to Denerim for the Landsmeet, he knew it was too late. She’d given her heart to Alistair. The light suddenly exploded outward and then all was quiet before the men began to cheer. Teagan didn’t join in. He knew the price they were paying for this victory.

“Maker, embrace whomever has sacrificed themselves and take them swiftly to your side,” he prayed.

 

Alistair fell next to Akela.

“No! Akela!” She opened her eyes and looked into his. For the first time since he’d met her, they were peaceful.

“Alistair,” she whispered.

“I’m here. I’m with you,”

“We did it. It’s over,” Tears blinded him.

“Don’t, Akela,” he begged. “Don’t make me live without you,” She weakly placed her hand on his chest.

“I’ll always be with you,”

“I can’t do this. I can’t live without you,” She smiled.

“I am here. You will never live without me,” Akela then placed her hand on his cheek. “I love you, Alistair,”

“I love you,” he breathed, tears falling down his cheeks. She closed her eyes and dropped her hand as her head fell back. “Akela,” Alistair knew she was gone. “No,” His body shook from the silent sobs. “My love,” He heard a sword clatter to the ground behind him.

“Maker, no!” Fergus’ voice was grieved. Alistair held Akela’s body close, not wanting to let her go.

“Should… should you perish,” he began the final words of the Joining between sobs. “Know that… know that one day, we shall join you,” He buried his face into her armor and wept.

 

Akela’s body was lain on a grey stone altar salvaged from the Chantry in the throne room. The room was full of those that had come to pay their respects to the Hero of Ferelden. He looked down at Akela and placed a hand on her cold cheek. She looked as if she were asleep. Her hair lay neatly, her Grey Warden armor clean and her hands clasped around the family sword. He sighed and looked back up at those gathered.

“My friends, we are gathered her to pay respect to the Grey Warden who saved us all. She gave the ultimate sacrifice to end the Blight. A sacrifice we must never forget. It was no accident that she was there either,” He looked down at her again. “She was special. And each of us had our lives touched by her in some way. I…,” Alistair’s voice broke and he took a breath before continuing. “I thought… we would be together forever, that she would rule Ferelden at my side. The Grey Wardens couldn’t ask for anyone finer. How do you properly honor someone like her? The Wardens are building a magnificent tomb at Wiesshaupt, right next to Garahel’s, but I would like to do something as well,” He motioned to Fergus. “Teyrn Cousland,” Fergus stepped forward. “Akela was overjoyed when we ran into you during the battle. The lands that Rendon Howe stole from your family I return to you, along with granting you the Arling of Amaranthine that formerly belong to him,”

“I would like to grant Amaranthine to the Grey Wardens, in honor of my sister’s sacrifice,” Alistair nodded.

“A wonderful and fitting tribute,” Fergus placed a hand on Akela’s cheek before returning to his place. “Let all know that the lands of Amaranthine have been granted to the Grey Wardens as a tribute to Akela Cousland. There they can rebuild and hopefully live up to her example. Friends, let us hope she sits at the Maker’s side and that she knows just how thankful we are for what she has done,” Alistair again placed a hand on her cheek. “You will be missed, my love. More than I could possibly say,” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I don’t know how I will be able to live without you, but I will try and I will join you one day,” With tears in his eyes, he disappeared through a door, clutching her Warden pendent close to his chest, as the people began to pay their respects to their hero.


End file.
